>> i'm sorry, you probably only recently got that song out of your head from 15 years ago and we just put it right back in there. i apologize for that. and yes, mm-mmm bop was released in 1997. do with it what you will. that information. not trying to make anyone feel old. but i digress. according to what seems to be his facebook page or maybe just someone who coincidentally has the same name, he is, indeed, a music fan. his tastes run to grateful dead, and stereo lab, so i'm not sure that the david lee roth or hanson theories hold any water, so the only other thing i can imagine is that when he changed his name he wanted attention. so congratulations. beezow doo-doo zopittybop bop-bop, mission accomplished. on the ridiculisth. >> tune in tomorrow for number six. the ton does it for this editiof "360." thanks for watching. "early start" begins right now.

crunch time for the fiscal cliff. the key players to meet at the white house with just four days left until the deadline. >> they called him stormin norman. america remembering general norman schwarzkopf. >> and have gun, will teach. hundreds of educators get a hands-on lesson in firearms. controversial proposal. good morning. welcome to "early start." 5:00 a.m. in the east. it is the last friday of 2012. i've just had that pointed out to us. one final desperate attempt to dodge the fiscal cliff, just four days left before we go over the edge triggers tax hikes, spending cuts that could send the nation back into recession. the president calling for

members of the congress the back. a gang of six attending. vice president biden, harry reid, house minority leader nancy pelosi, mitch mcconnell and john boehner representing the republicans. brianna keilar is live from washington. is anybody optimistic that a deal could be done today around a table? >> i will tell you the optimism is sort of sinking. senate majority leader harry reid said he doesn't see how it can get done by january 1st. we heard from president obama before he left from his vacation that he was optimistic. logistically the white house will tell you it's possible. when you listen to what you're hearing some of these congressional leaders say,

there's a lot of posturing laying blame to the other side if we do go over the cliff. take a listen. >> republicans are not about to write a blank check for anything senate democrats put forward because we find ourselves at the edge of the cliff. >> we are here in washington working while the members of the house of representatives are out watching movies, watching their kids play soccer, basketball, doing all kinds of things. they should be here. >> now, house speaker john boehner is saying the senate needs to just take up a house pass bill that has already passed the house that would extend rates for all americans to either take it up in whole rf to amend it. the senate would take up that

bill, amend it. if we do go over the cliff there is this possibility and all sides are preparing for this that there would be a lot of pressure in the days following from the markets, from consumers, american public opinion, that's part of the reason why they're posturing. they would still likely be acting come the new year having do cigarette tsomething retroac. there is this concern that even though going over the cliff would allow them to not technically be voting to raise taxes, instead just voting to reinstate a tax cut, that then it sort of president obama's tax cut so he gets credit for that. >> do you have any sense of what will happen around that table today? who called the meeting if there's an agenda or are they going to sit around and stare at each other until one of them blinks? >> we don't have a sense. i'm sure that we will be getting a sense. this is supposed to take place

at 3:00 p.m. at the white house. the vice president, president and four top congressional leaders. we don't know what will be said. i think we will likely hear from some camps afterwards. >> if you are wondering what a trip down the fiscal cliff might mean for your paycheck, for your 401(k), look no further than yesterday's dow. at the opening bell, a dive of more than 1%. investors finding little hope for the fiscal cliff compromise on capitol hill. when word came down two sides might be meeting. reversal of fortune. the dow rebounding for a while before finishing slightly lower. a nation this morning remembering the american general credited with orchestrating one of the most lopsided military victories in military history. general norman schwarzkopf died yesterday in florida. he was 78 years old. and remembered by many from briefings like this one here, a

media savvy general taking the lead in the first gulf war. the white house saying this about the general last night. our prayers are with the schwarzkopf family who tonight can know his legacy will endure in a nation that is more secure because of his patriotic service. senator john mccain on twitter calling the general one of the great american heroes. we thank him for his service. stormin norman, as he was called, was a big man who left a big legacy. with us this morning is another general, general james spider marks joining us from virginia via skype. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> you know, stormin norman is what i remember about general norman schwarzkopf. a name he earned. a "time" magazine correspondent once called him a man with a john wayne swagger and a growl like a grizzly. is that how you remember him?

this truly was a 20th century american military hero general schwarzkopf was a bigger than life man. his nickname personified that. it was a label he would protest openly. he was a humble man. what he-when you think about what he was asked to do, you keep it in context. the army had gone through this incredible turmoil post vietnam. i was a young lieutenant during that period. our army doctrine grew, it emerged. it was validated by general schwarzkopf in the deserts of kuwait when he ousted saddam's military. he was the significant man at an incredibly significant time for our military. he did it mag nnificenmagnifice. stormin norman is not because he was a gentleman, he had a volcanic temper, but the beauty of that was you knew where you

stood with this guy. he was a magnificent soldier who truly loved those soldiers that served for him. it's a great loss for our nation. >> it most certainly is. it was quite a shock when i heard about it last night. it certainly took me back to the first gulf war. we need to remind some viewers who may be too young to remember the first gulf war. operation desert storm, the first heavily televised war. it was really how cnn was born, right? we all remember general schwarzkopf in those daily briefings. he really changed america's perception of war, didn't he? >> well, he did. he truly understood -- he was a modern commander who understood the power of the media, in that unlike vietnam where we did not have the support of the american population, in desert storm we did. the build up of the forces we were open in terms of our xho n

xhoouncatixhoou communications with the population. the nation we serve is made up of hundreds of millions of people, we have to communicate with them, that is our constituency. he did that so well. at the end of the day he delivered. six weeks of an air campaign and 100 hours -- remember, it was 100 hours, that's it, for us to oust, defeat, saddam's military in kuwait and return right, full governance back to the citizens of kuwait. >> his father once said -- told him, he said, the day i was born that boy is going to west point. it was literally a job he was born to do. boy, did he do it well. the nation is remembering him today. thank you for helping us do that, general spider marks. happy holidays to you. >> you as well. former president george h.w. bush has a message for his admirers around the world. he's not going anywhere. in a message in thursday, his

chief of staff said the 41st president's condition is not dire. becker said mr. bush has every intention of staying put and that we can "put the harps back in the closet." the 88-year-old mr. bush is in the intensive care unit of a houston hospital where he's receiving treatment for an elevated fever. >> still has his sense of human. vladimir putin has signed a continue versional bill banning u.s. citizens from adopting russian children. the decision raising tensions between the two countries, seen for retaliation for a new law in the u.s. that seeks to punish russians for human rights violations. the ban will take effect on january 1st, that's really right away it would halt all new adoptions and end those already in progress. incredible. a lot of families in the process of adopting children in russia. >> those poor kids. want to move on to the weather. lots of snow, wind, hail

everywhere across the u.s. the storm that brought snow and spun off tornadoes is still not over. ten deaths blamed on the storm. more than 2,400 flights have been canceled. it could dump more snow on new england and upstate new york today. boy, they don't need that. bonnie schneider with a look at the forecast. good morning. >> good morning. the storm we've been talking about is working its way to extreme northeastern new england. it is hitting canada hard. quebec is getting more snow. i mentioned yesterday that cold air would come in behind the system. it sure has. scranton at 26. below freezing in new york city at 31. just to let you know, it's not over yet. a brand new storm system set up these winter weather advisories for pennsylvania and into new york, washington, d.c., and the mountains of virginia. you can see also ohio slammed again after so much snow from

the first system. so the way it's going to play out, saturday into sunday, this system is likely going to bring heavier snow to areas of northern pennsylvania in terms of snowfall totals. it's not going to be as big of a snowmaker or a blizzard maker from what we saw last time, but it will produce strong snowfall through central connecticut and rhode island. new england, you know winters can be long. winter is not officially -- is officially here, we are looking at a slamming start to the season. across the southeast, temperatures are also very cold. we have not warmed up in atlanta. we're at 31 degrees. the moisture coming into the south will come in at a time where temperatures are likely to be milder. we are not looking at snow accumulation in the south if that were to happen, it would be a shutdown around here. >> 31 degrees in atlanta? unbelievable. thank you very much. reading, writing,

marksmanship. coming up, we'll look inside classrooms where teachers are learning how to handle guns. and dr. mcdreamy to the rescue? >> who? >> not in the o.r. tv dr. patrick democracy steps in to try to save hundreds of people their jobs. you will be surprised at how he's trying to do this. . because your daughter really wants that pink castle thing. and you really don't want to pay more than you have to. only citi price rewind automatically searches for the lowest price. and if it finds one, you get refunded the difference. just use your citi card and register your purchase online. have a super sparkly day! ok. [ male announcer ] now all you need is a magic carriage. citi price rewind. start saving at citi.com/pricerewind. i'm going to dream about that steak. i'm going to dream about that tiramisu. what a night, huh? but, um, can the test drive be over now?

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. since the newtown massacre teachers across the country have been asking themselves what would i do? gun advocates in salt lake city tried to help teachers there answer that question with free gun training and self-defense classes during holiday break. here is alex cabraro. >> reporter: steven pratt has never had a gun permit, lately he's wanted one. >> with the recent tragedy in connecticut, i realized it's time for me to act on that. >> reporter: pratt is a third grade teacher. his students are about the same age as those who died in

connecticut. >> i just worried a little bit, what would i do as a teacher? how would i protect myself if fired upon? >> reporter: is not the only one asking those questions. hundreds of teachers, administrators, janitors, anyone involved in a school came to the maverick center in west valley. this class called the mass violence response training class was designed to teach them to fight back. >> i think it's important to have protection. >> reporter: the class wasn't just about guns and protecting yourself with a gun. but guns were a big part of it. >> people are tired of being victims. >> reporter: clark is a well-known shooting instructor in utah. he helped teach the class providing the basic fore iics fo do and how do it. >> we're not going to get the guns out of the criminals hands, so let's put guns in the good guys hands. >> reporter: he says the shootings have changed a lot of

perceptio perceptions. >> it's that agreement that criminals are supposed to have hands off schools. everywhere else it's a free-for-all. my gosh, you mess with our school and kids, that's another thing. >> reporter: the ceo of a tactical company that trains police officers says guns may not be for everyone, and he doesn't expect every teacher here to get a permit. he says it's all about responsibility. >> we will tell these people, help them understand where their moral code and where their value system is. and until they discover that, they're not prepared to carry a firearm. >> reporter: of course some have already decided. >> i would like to be able to protect my children in case something like that happened. >> utah's board of education had this to say about the training. we urge caution and thoughtful consideration, schools in utah have developed emergency plans to handle such situations. the board encourages all utah schools to review emergency plans working with law

enforcement agencies, with the safety of students in all situations as the primary concern. coming up on "starting point" ali velshi will talk with the gun trainer you just saw, and a special education teacher who took that class. the nra is saying schools should decide for themselves how to protect their children. here's what nra president david keen told carol costello yesterday. >> when wayne la pierre spoke about a week ago, he suggested that what has to happen and what should happen in every school district administrators, teachers, parents, should sit down and ask what is needed to protect the children in that school. some of them will want police officers there. others will want private security guards. there may be some places where they want volunteers to do it. we're willing to work with everybody on those questions. >> it's a much softer stance than just one week ago. here's what the nra's executive

vp said back then. >> i call on congress today to act immediately to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every single school in this nation. >> at the time, wayne lapierre said armed officers were the only way to prevent another massacre like the one that happened in newtown. president obama summoning congressional leaders to the white house, 3:00 this afternoon is the date for one final fiscal cliff showdown. just four days left to get this deal done or massive tax hikes and spending cuts will kick in. the u.s. embassy clearing out of an african nation this morning. deteriorating security in the central african republic has forced the u.s. state department to temporarily suspend operations. there the u.s. ambassador, his diplomatic team and some private american citizens are out of the

capital. the country's president has asked france and the united states for help to stop rebels that threaten rule. it's not clear who will replace lisa jackson as the head of the environmental protection agency. jackson announced yesterday she's stepping down in january after the president's state of the union address. the epa created new standards for air pollution from coal power plants on her watch. massachusetts congressman ed ma markey throwing his hat into the ring for kerry's senate seat. a special election would be held early this summer. markey a 66-year-old democrat is the first prominent candidate to declare for the race. mom and pop shops across the country bracing for a labor fight that could cripple businesses. more on the key workers that could walk off the job coming up. consider this: when the unexpected happens, there's one brand of battery more emergency workers trust in their maglites:

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24 minutes after the hour. welcome back to "early start" for friday morning. minding your business this morning, the impending fiscal cliff creating plenty of jitters on wall street despite the fact that congressional leaders are meeting with the president today to try to hammer out a last-minute deal. the dow, nasdaq and s&p 500 futures all pointing lower this hour signaling a potential selloff at the opening bell. not just the fiscal cliff with the potential threat to the economy, thousands of dockworkers from maine to texas could go on strike within days if their union can't reach a deal with major shipping companies. these are the workers who move goods from the nation's ports to the stores. >> everybody from your mom and pop retailer to your farmer, to the trucking company who has go in and pick up the containers at the ports. this will be felt not just at the local economy, but nationwide for everybody else who relies on these ports. >> one port official says east and gulf coast ports handle

about $55 billion worth of cargo a month so a strike could have a major effect on the retail business. land lines not going the way of the vcr just yet. older americans are slow to get rid of land lines and go mobile. the centers for disease control asked 20,000 households about trends throughout the year. the study found about 52% use cell phones for all of their cal calls, that's less than 2% increase from previous years. the older generation is slower to make the switch. patrick democracy might play a doctor on television but he's doing some economic cpr in real life. the ""grey's anatomy" start" trying to rescue a coffee shop chain in seattle. they're hoping to save about 500 jobs. democracy said he within as to give back to the city and play a bigger role in the community.

how about that. good for him. >> a lot of competition in seattle for coffee shops. >> that's right. spy games between americans and north koreans and how one move caught the u.s. completely off guard. and the florida teens who took a page out of bruce springste springsteen's play book, taking the stage to help after hurricane sandy. if you're leaving the house, watch us on your desk top or mobile phone, go to cnn.com/tv. you can spot an amateur from a mile away... while going shoeless and metal-free in seconds. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle...and go. you can even take a full-size or above, and still pay the mid-size price. now this...will work. [ male announcer ] just like you, business pro. just like you. go national. go like a pro. just like you.

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fiscal cliffhanger. a white house meeting as we head

into the last weekend before the big deadline. >> wanted in new york. police say the woman seen running away there on the right pushed a man to his death in front of a moving subway train. a baseball cap controversy. the braves new retroloe logo raising a few eyebrows. your take-home pay on the line when the president and congressional leaders meet at the white house this afternoon for an 11th hour fiscal cliff faceoff. in just four days paychecks shrink and spending gets slashed if our elected officials can't figure out how to compromise. it will now be in the hands of these six leaders, the president, vice president biden, senate majority leader harry reid and house minority leader nancy pelosi on the democratic side. john boehner and mitch mcconnell

representing the republicans. brianna keilar live now from washington. great to see you. house doesn't return to work until sunday. logistically speaking here, is there still enough time to work out a deal? >> i will tell you logistically speaking, logistically speaking, yes. politically speaking, very much unclear, there's a growing amount of pessimism about whether or not that can be done. we've been talking for days about how eyes are on the senate to see what harry reid cobbles together to try to get republican support in the senate and house. he's saying it's hard to see how this can get done by january 1st. so we're seeing a lot of managing of expectations and certainly a lot of posturing on both sides as it appears they're getting ready to play the blame game should we go over the cliff. listen to both sides. >> republicans are not about to write a blank check for anything senate democrats put forward just because we find ourselves

at the edge of the cliff. >> we are here in washington working while the members of house of representatives are out watching movies, watching their kids play soccer and basketball and doing all kinds of things. they should be here. >> senate majority leader reid there also said that house speaker john boehner is just trying to save his job. alina, as you probably know, the elections for house leadership are on january 3rd after we would go over the fiscal cliff, if there is no deal. john boehner shot back saying that reid needs to talk less and legislate more. but really this comes down to working out, cobbling together something that can get support. president obama wants that tax cut threshold to be at $250,000. well, mitch mcconnell poured some cold water on that yesterday. so they need to come to some

sort of agreement on where the threshold would be. we don't know what it would be yet in the senate. >> 250,000 for the democratic side and republicans couldn't even agree on a million. that's a $750,000 gap they have to close. let's hope they do that. thank you. commanders in chief past and present paying tribute to retired general norman schwarzkopf this morning. the commander of coalition forces during the gulf war died yesterday at 78. schwarzkopf was the face of military briefings during the first cable news war. former president george h.w. bush who is hospitalized, said the general was a true american patriot, one of the great military leaders of this generation. new york city police are looking for a woman who pushed a man off a subway platform to his death. happened last night. witnesses say the woman shoved the victim from behind right into the path of a moving 7 train. as that train pulled into the

40th street queens boulevard station. nypd surveillance should shows the suspect running away from the stati the station. before the incident, the woman was scene walking back and forth on the platform talking to herself. north korea likely deceived the u.s. and other nations deliberately. according to some, the likely scenario was north korea was lying about reported technical problems days before the launch. another conclusion, that north korea knows how to counter u.s. intelligence on what it's up to. nbc apparently received conflicting guidance on use using an empty gun magazine on "meet the press." an official with the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives told another nbc reporter it would be legal. a spokeswoman for d.c. metro

police said an nbc representative acquired ahead of sunday's broadcast and advised it could not use the magazine. the matter is still under investigation. whether you're heading home or getting away for the new ye year, it could be another slow go or no go at the airports. the storm that spun off record snow and dangerous tornados is not over yet. bonnie schneider, say it's not true. >> while one storm is exiting, another storm is coming in. so brand new airport delays this time across the midwest and chicago, minneapolis. but the windy weather will persist in new york city. all the airports that faced delays yesterday, more of that is ahead for today. also stormy conditions across the south. here's one storm exiting. it will bring snow to areas of extreme northern new england where we have almost a foot on the ground already. temperatures are also brutally cold behind it in the 20s.

the south is getting powerful thunderstorms moving into the lake charles, louisiana at this hour and they're heading eastward. new orleans will be impacted by strong storms later today. temperatures in atlanta, below freezing. by the time the rain comes in, it will warm up. so we're not looking at snow for the south. here's where we are anticipating snow, from michigan, ohio going towards tomorrow. we will be watching this storm to trek eastward. two to four inches on top of what's on the ground in pennsylvania. this storm is also going to bring substantial snowfall across new england once again. you can see the legend showing us we're anticipating six inches of snow through the mountains into virginia, but then by the time we get to sunday, look at this, another pocket of heavy snow in central connecticut according to computer models as well as rhode island and the northfork of long island. that's what is interesting about long island, you will get snow in one part, 11 miles to the south it will be rain. many people are traveling this weekend that took the entire

week off, they were on vacation. anticipating more snowfall for parts of new england. the storm setup for today, heavy rain through the mid south. snow popping up in the heartland again. again, this is an area that already saw plenty of snow this week. the colder air is plummeting down with temperatures for highs only in the 20s in kansas city and minneapolis, warming back up along the gulf coast, but not for long with this brand new storm system coming in. it's a one-two punch. getting a lot of bad weather. >> jab, jab, jab. >> i want you to stick around and listen to this. you know how chilly it is this time of year in canada. winnipeg might be in the single digits, but a story from the chilly north that will warm you up. the city might have set a record for paying it forward. 228 customers at a coffee shop drive through paid for the person behind them. watch this. >> you would hear this from

drive through screaming out random numbers. 147. everybody was pumped up. >> now it's such a habit started here. people just come back to this one knowing that it's either going to be your day that you will start it. it's just going to come back. it's a huge cycle. >> that's great. cycle of generosity that lasted for three hours. nobody knows who started the chain or who ended it. you don't want to be the person who ends that chain. just keep it going. keep it going. >> i want to look back and see who's back there. big guys, a lot of doughnuts. could be a big bill. it's a blast from the past, but does it have any place in today's pc society? more on the baseball logo causing some controversy this morning. >> really, you said that? >> of course. would you guys want to pay for eight guys on a construction crew? they're paying for it? yeah, give me all of them.

you got any of those bear claws? >> it's only going to be 25 bucks. come on. look at these kids. you will hear from the teen rockers who pitched in to help complete strangers after hurricane sandy in their time of need. >> i'll pay for those skinny kids. >> we'll talk to them live next. copd makes it hard to breathe,

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5:42 a.m. on the east coast. time for early reads. your local news making national headlines. the "l.a. times" reporting that the city's gun buy back program that we've been telling you about broke records. here's the big fish -- big fish, a rocket launcher. we have no way to know if this is real or a prop. officials say two rocket launchers were among the more than 2,000 firearms turned in. the times reports police took out 22 pistols from the trunk of

one honda. that got the driver $1,000 in grocery gift cards. the atlanta braves gave an espn columnist a first look at the batting practice caps. many teams going retro, this one stood out to some. the braves are bringing back something critics now call the screaming savage. it was part of the braves regular uniform for close to 20 years. hank aaron had it on his shoulder during most of his playing days. for an expanded look at all of our top stories, head to cnn.com/earlystart. you can also follow us on twitter and facebook, search for "early start" cnn. let's get you up to date, congressional leaders will be meeting with the president at the white house this afternoon. they will try to hammer out an 11th-hour deal to keep the country from going over the

fiscal cliff which could happen four days from now. if they fail, it will mean drastic tax hikes and spending cuts at the start of the new year. a 60-foot whale that washed ashore in queens, new york has died. the whale was barely alived when it was found wednesday in the breezy point section of queens, an area hit hard by hurricane sandy. national park service workers were not able to move the whale's carcass on thursday because the equipment they needed was destroyed by the hurricane. former egyptian president hosni mubarak has been transferred to a military hospital after doctors discovered rib fractures from a recent fall. the 84-year-old is facing life in prison for the death of protesters last year. mubarak suffered a head injury and a bruised chest when he slipped in a prison hospital bathroom earlier this month.

secretary of state hillary clinton sidelined no more. her spokesman says she will be back at work next week after spending the past three weeks fighting off what the state department said was a stomach flu and a concussion brought on by a fainting spell. doctors have grounded her from overseas travel for a few more weeks. her return means she may soon testify before congress about that attack on the u.s. diplomatic office in bengahzi. hopefully bart, the hound dog, won't be sniffing around lake erie any more this winter. he slipped through the ice and his front paws were the only thing that kept him through the surface. his owner tried to help him, but he slipped through, too. >> i was talking to him. trying to keep him warm, rub him. get flood flowing through his body. i kind of looked at it like what if it was my dog? >> they spent about 90 minutes in the frigid water before

rescuers arrived. bart was cold but otherwise okay. america watched as paul mccartney, bon jovi and bruce springsteen took the stage to raise money for the victims of hurricane sandy, coming up live here, the boys of the band sticks of fire are here, guitars in hand, to tell us how they putted off their own successful benefit show. we'll talk to them next. the boys use capital one venture miles

for their annual football trip. that's double miles you can actually use. tragically, their buddy got sacked by blackouts. but it's our tradition! that's roughing the card holder. but with the capital one venture card you get double miles you can actually use. [ cheering ] any flight, anytime. the scoreboard doesn't lie. what's in your wallet? hut! i have me on my fantasy team.

many musicians jumped in to offer help after super storm sandy hit the northeast. there was an epic concert at madison square garden. take a look. ♪ but there were also many smaller benefits across the country, including some put on by two bands from tampa, sticks of fire and circle of four made up of high schoolers. the teens raised nearly $6,000 for a relief fund and did so to help many of those people who were hurt so badly during the super sto sup superstorm sandy. nicholas mcdonald and george

pennington, thank you for coming in to see us. you guys are members of two bands, but you go to the same high school, right? >> yes. >> you live in tampa, florida, more than 1,100 miles away from the destruction here. what is it about what you saw on television and those images that made you want to help? >> mainly it was being from florida, we know all the issues that could happen with hurricanes. after seeing people losing their homes, i know how they feel about having all that heavy rain, all the storms going on. it's scary stuff. we were always the ones who get targeted. we wanted to help out this time. >> so what did you do? you talked to each other? you decided let's put on a concert, george? >> we knew something had to be done. so we worked together, came up with a plan, how to get it started. worked with the head master at our school to put up something, put up flyers around the school. talked to our friends. >> what was the reaction you got? >> it went really well. we got a lot of people coming

out. everyone was so willing to help. >> how many concerts did you put on in the tampa area? >> we put on one. >> just put on one. >> yes. >> and you raised $6,000? >> yes. >> where did most of that money come from? >> ticket sales, friends, family. >> ticket sales. >> we sold tickets for $10. >> you are here in new york for a reason, you will put on another concert? >> we just came here to talk about it. >> you came here to talk about it? >> yeah. >> hopefully it will lead to another concert here in new york. i guess from your perspective, where do you hope this money goes? what do you want do with this $6,000? are you going to give a check to the red cross or to a relief fund? >> we are going to present the check to the governor's wife. >> great. hopefully we can help you do that. last night when i was reading in on you two, i was very excited to meet you.

i listened to one of your songs. and i know we can take requests now, right? you will sing one of your songs that i watched on youtube last night. can you give us about a minute of that? >> sure. no problem. >> okay. ♪ ♪ no one wants to watch you lay there ♪ ♪ take a chance and leave me now ♪ ♪ before you know before it ends ♪ ♪ remember love it is shattering all of us ♪ ♪ leave your pointless mess behind ♪ ♪ no one lives in your lines ♪ stop for us

♪ ♪ home with could much worry ♪ just quit now and face our jury ♪ ♪ stepping over empty bottles ♪ cigarettes lit up like models ♪ ♪ side effects from things to learn ♪ ♪ no one wants to watch you lay there ♪ ♪ take a chance and leave me now ♪ ♪ before it ends ♪ remember love is shadowing all

of us ♪ ♪ leave your pointless mess behind ♪ ♪ no one lives a million lives ♪ stop for us ♪ you had a chance that you wanted ♪ ♪ take what you need and leave ♪ feel free ♪ continue your habits ♪ but never come into be >> that's "before you know." >> keep playing, guys, sounds great. >> nicholas mcdonald, 17, member of sticks of fire, and george pennington, 16, trying to help out those victims of hurricane sandy by a benefit concert. we hope you get more attention

for doing that. coming up, taylor swift being mentioned with the beatles? we'll tell you why as we listen to these two kids. take us to break. we're back after this. ♪ ♪ ♪ make a wish! i wish we could lie here forever. i wish this test drive was over, so we could head back to the dealership. [ male announcer ] it's practically yours. test drive! but we still need your signature. volkswen sign then drive is back. and it's never been easier to get a jetta. that's the power of german engineering. get $0 down, $0 due at signing, $0 deposit, and $0 first month's payment on any new volkswagen. visit vwdealer.com today.

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just about 59 minutes after the hour. drew griffin along with alina cho looking at the top cnn trends on the web. >> taylor swift now in beatle territory?

♪ oh ♪ this time i'm telling you i'm telling you ♪ >> that's right, with her album "red" topping the billboard 200 again this week, she became the first artist since the beatles to log six or more studio albums to achieve the top ten. you ever wonder what would happen if a shark tank exploded in front of you? here you go. sharks flying everywhere. shoppers went running for their lives. at least four people were in front of the tank when it cracked. nobody was seriously hurt. three lemon sharks doa. officials are investigating whether cold are investigating cold temperatures along with shoddy design -- you think? could cause that. >> check out other top cnn trends.

head to cnn.com/trends. my goodness. "early start" continues right now. crunchtime for the fiscal cliff. key players to meet at the white house when four days left. and they called him stormin norman. he led america to victory in the first gulf war. and have gun, will teach. a hands on lesson on firearms. i'm drew griffin. >> i'm alina cho. john and zoraida have the day off. we begin with your paycheck on the fiscal cliff chopping block. four days left until we go down the cliff. triggering automatic tax hikes and spending cuts that could send the country back into recession. the president has scheduled a

meeting at 3:00 p.m. eastern time. on hand for today's fiscal cliff face-off, the president, vice president biden, senate majority leader harry reid and house minority leader nancy pelosi on the democratic side. john boehner and senate minority leader mitch mcconnell representing the republicans. brianna keilar live from washington. you say logistically, a deal can happen. politically, open question. >> that's right. logistically, it's still possible. but it appears right now, the prospects for a deal are dimming. the senate is in yesterday, but not doing a whole lot on the fiscal cliff. still awaiting the proposal to come out from senate democrats and what we're seeing is the blame game. kind of in full swing. public posturing, ahead of the fiscal cliff. obviously in case we go over it. listen to senate majority leader harry reid, yesterday. >> republicans aren't about to

write a blank check for anything that senate democrats put forward, just because we find ourselves at the edge of the cliff. >> we are here in washington working while the members of the house of representatives are out watching movies and watching their kids play soccer and basketball and doing all kinds of things. they should be here. >> house speaker boehner sort of fired back on a conference call, alina, saying reid should do less talking and more legislating and the house now is set to return to washington on sunday. but that's cutting pretty close, as you can imagine, because we go over the fiscal cliff as of monday night without a deal. so pretty tight timeline there. >> what is the thinking at this point, dana bash, that most congressional leaders feel like going over the cliff, whether

they will say it publicly is one thing, but going over the cliff might be better, because on the other end of it, you can vote for tax cuts versus raising taxes for a certain number of americans, politically speaking, isn't that a better scenario for them? >> it may politically be a better secenario for some congresspeople. but it will be a catastrophe because of public opinion, the way markets would respond on january 2nd. i think politically obviously it saves a little face, particularly for some republicans who don't want to vote for tax increases. taxes increase automatically, but it isn't without consequences and we're trying to get a sense today -- the meeting that you mentioned, 3:00 p.m. at the white house, congressional leaders with the president and vice president. coming out of that, i think we may have a better sense of exactly what direction this is

going. if there is maybe a little bit of a kumbaya feel or them at odds, which will really set the tone for what we're expecting here. >> you mentioned the markets. the markets will take it hard by all accounts if we go over the cliff and we hit the debt ceiling on monday. timothy geithner will take extraordinary measures not to do so. once we lose our credit rating as well, that you can't reverse. prix an bre anna keeler, thank you. and look no further than the dow to see what might happen if we go over the fiscal cliff. investors sensing little hope for a fiscal cliff compromise. and announcement of a fiscal cliff meeting at the white house, and reversal of fortune. dow bounced back before finishing slightly lower. the most popular american general since world war ii, and

tributes are pouring in for stormin norman schwarzkopf. he testeam rolled the iraqi military is in 1991 gulf war, liberating kuwait. he may have been the perfect front man for the first war who played out live in your living rooms. barbara starr live at the pentagon. barba barbara, a great guy, but really great in front of the camera and able to use visuals of the first war to really explain to the american people what was going on. >> well, explain to the american people, and he also knew that saddam hussein and his iraqi generals were watching those press briefings. president obama today remembering norman schwarzkopf as an american original. a limited mission, get the iraqis out of kuwait, get the war done, go home. and he accomplish thad in des rt storm, commanding more than 700,000 coalition forces, more

than 500,000 americans and an air and grown campaign that lasted barely 100 hours, and then it was done. his own chief, former president george h.w. bush, issuing a statement from his hospital bed in houston, saying "general norm schwarz cough, to me, epit to mized the duty, service, country creed that has defended our k e freedom and seen this nation through our most trying international crises, and more than that, he was a good and decent man." that from former president george h.w. bush. he is remembered for his fiery temper, but also from the famous press conferences really that set the tone for a new generation of how the military interacted with the media, interacted with the american public. still continues to this day, but i'm not sure any of the generals

who greeted these days could measure up to schwarz schwarzkopf. >> one thing he was criticized for post war, leaving saddam hussein in power and that was george h.w.'s decision, but he agreed with that, didn't sne. >> he did. this was a matter of controversy for years. was this something that left saddam hussein in power able to act against his own people and in a way painting the way for 29003 ground w 29003, ground war, which didn't turn out so well. but if you go to baghdad, that is an invasion and the u.s. would become bogged down and become responsible for everything in iraq. if you look at the 2003 war,

perhaps they were proven to be right. new this morning, russian president vladmir putin just signed a controversial bill banning americans from adopting russian children. this move seen as retaliation for a new law in the united states that seeks to punish russians accused of human rights violations. that new adoption ban will take effect on january 1st and halt all new adoptions and end those already in progress. we'll bring you leave report ivt hour. this is a report we first told you about on "ac 360." this woman used the shootings in newtown, connecticut, as an opportunity to make money. noelle alva posed as a relative of one of the explain children, an aunt she said and solicited donations on facebook for a fake

funeral fund for one of the victims. 6-year-old noah ponzer. instead, money went into a pay pal account she controlled. she let us record her voice, but not her face on camera last week. here is what happened. >> that's not my paypal account. i mean i have a paypal account. >> is that your e-mail? >> yeah. that's my g-mail account. >> my personal account. but i never set up any fund for anyone. >> you should know that the pozner family tells us they are very support b upset by this. >> i never did anything. >> she was raising donations for hurricane sandy, if convicted she faces up to five years in jail and a $250,000 fine. >> she went so far to say she was called of the scene of the crime to identify bodies.

>> that the president hugged them, cried with them. just really out of control. >> and as have you bereporting, this happens a lot. after the powerful winter storm that brought record breaking snow and spun off ten tornadoes, ten deaths blamed, and 2,400 flights already been canceled. oh, boy. bonnie schneider with a look at the forecast. i'm afraid to ask, bonnie. good morning. >> a brand-new threat happening right now. driving along i-40 and noticing the weather conditions getting worse, there is a reason for that. freezing rain advisory for areas in little rock, femme physician, springfield and branson in missouri. watching freezing rain continue throughout the morning. most of the advisories through 9:00 or 11:00 a.m. temperatures teetering around the freezing mark. any moisture that falls will immediately freeze. and keep in mind, this is an

area like little rock where they have seen almost 10 inches of snow. this could compromise tree branchs and power lines. more rain coming into memphis. freezing onto services. still bringing snow to maine. doesn't want to let go. in its wake, much colder temperatures filtering in. 31 in new york city. getting ready for snowy weather on saturday. getting energy from this storm. heavy rain and more energy from the west it will develop to low pressure and bring 2 to 4 inches in western new jersey, and western pennsylvania. a little more than that possibly for ohio. 1 to 3 inches for new york city. a fast-moving storm. by sunday, the snow stops, and the computer model, looks like we could get more accumulating snow. airport delays stretch from the midwest to the northeast. a busy week for travel and weather as well.

please be careful out there, especially in freezing rain. that's especially dangerous when you have slippery roads like that. >> hard to walk too. bonnie schneider, thank you so much. reading, writing, marksmanship. coming up, inside a classroom where teachers are learning how to handle guns. and, later, former president george h.w. bush with a little message for everyone who has been worried about him. ♪ you are my sunshine, my only sunshine ♪

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16 minutes after the hour. since the newtown massacre, teachers across the country have been asking nethemselves what would i do? teachers in a salt lake city tried to answer that question with free gun training and self-defense classes during holiday break. >> i think it's important to have protection, because if you don't have it, i feel like we're sitting ducks. >> we'll help these people understand where their moral code and value system really is. and until they discover that, they are not prepared to carry a firearm. >> utah's board of education had this to say about the gun training "we urge caution and thoughtful consideration. schools in utah have developed emergency plans to handle such

situati situations. the board encourages all utah schools to review their emergency plans, working with local law enforcement agencies, with the safety of students in all situations the primary concern." coming up on "starting point," ali velshi will speak with clark aposhian, a utah shooting sports councilman, and a teacher who took that place. here is what nra ceo david keane told our david costello yesterday. >> when wayne la pierre spoke a week ago, he said what has to happen and should happen, every school district, administrators, teachers, and parents, should sit down, ask what's needed to protect students in that school. some will want police officers there. others will want private security guards. there may be some places where

they want volunteers to do it. we're willing to work with everything on those questions. >> a much softer stance than just a week ago, when the nra's ceo said this. >> i call on congress today to act immediately to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every single school in this nation. >> at the time, wayne la pierre said armed officers were the only way to prevent another massacre like the one in newtown. former president george h.w. bush remains in intensive care in a hospital in houston where he's treated for an elevated fever. he appreciates the outgoing support he received, he wants the world to know he has no intention of going anywhere. miguel marquez with more from houston this morning. miguel, it seems hour by hour we get updates on whether he's

doing bad, worse, better, improving? any idea how the president is doing? >> he seems to be doing -- he's sick, but not critical. his chief of staff, gene becker released a statement, put the harps back in the closet. not going anywhere. it seems he has a lot of complications, but he's getting better by the day. john king spoke to one of his long-time friends who says his spirits are high, he wants to go home. sick of being in the hospital. look, he's 88, been in the hospital for over a month before that, he was in for some unrelated physical therapy. he's tired of it, but doctors want to keep him in the icu, and part of the problem, the information coming in small spurts from a spokesperson and a couple of other sources, but not a will the of information,

because the family really doesn't want a ton of information out there. they want to keep his privacy and let him recover on his own. he got over a bron krnccbronchi infection. they want to get him completely over this before they let him go. the family wants him home as soon as possible. but doctors are taking it day by day and will decide when he gets out of icu. he is certainly ready to get home. been more than a month since he's been here. drew. >> i can imagine that. been relatively healthy despite his whole life, despite the hardship of world war ii. is a good patient, but anxious to get out and go. sign himself out, say let's go, bob? >> we met with jim mcgrath yesterday. he said there is one thing i can assure you, his trademark sense

of humor is intact. he is not on a ventilator, giving doctors and nurses hell in there. the guy is 88. 85th birthday three years ago, skydiving. he did it for his 80th, 75th. this guy likes to be active. loves the thrill of life and excitement. by the way, when he finished his skydiving on the 85th? he said how do you feel? when he said i don't feel a day over 84. my sense is, he is dog well and getting better, but it will take time, he's just an older guy. drew. >> miguel, thanks. we certainly wish the president all the best in getting better. >> it is 21 minutes after the hour. let's get you up to date on the top stories. congressional leaders on both sides have been summoned by the president to come to the white house today for an 11th hour fiscal cliff showdown.

just four days remain to got a deal done or massive tax hikes and spending cuts kick in on tuesday. the u.s. embassy clearing out of an african nation this morning. deteriorating security has forced the u.s. state department to temporarily success spend operations. the country's president has asked france and the u.s. to help stop rebel advances that thre threaten. the jockeying has begun. massachusetts congressman ed markey throwing his hat into the ring. kerry's seat expected to become vacant if he goes on to become secretary of state and that is expected. a special election would be held early this summer. >> mom and pop shops across the country are bracing for a labor fight that could cripple their business. more on the key workers that

could walk off the job. plus, dr. mcdreamy to the rescue. patrick dempsey steps in to try and save hundreds of jobs. we'll tell you how. [ male announcer ] when was the last time something made your jaw drop? campbell's has 24 new soups that will make it drop over, and over again. ♪ from jammin' jerk chicken, to creamy gouda bisque. see what's new from campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do.

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minding your business this morning. the impending fiscal cliff is creating jitters on wall street, despite the fact that congressional leaders are meeting with the president trying to work out a deal. dow, nasdaq, s & p 500, futures all pointing lower this hour. signaling a potential sell-off at the opening bell. the fiscal cliff isn't the only potential cliff. thousands of dockworkers from

maine to texas could go on strike within days if they can't reach a deal with major shipping companies. these workers move all kinds of goods from the nation's ports to the stores. >> from your mom to ppop retail toto trucking companies to your farmers. this will be felt nationwide. everyone relies on these ports to move commerce. >> one port official says east and gulf coast ports handle about $55 billion worth of cargo are every month. patrick dempsey is doing his part to necessitate the economy. is he part of a group that is trying to save about 500 jobs by buying tully's coffee shop chain. spy games.

americans and north americanme . one move caught the u.s. completely off guard. have a good night. here you go. you, too. i'm going to dream about that steak. i'm going to dream about that tiramisu. what a night, huh? but, um, can the test drive be over now? head back to the dealership? [ male announcer ] it's practically yours. but we still need your signature. volkswagen sign then drive is back. and it's never been easier to get a passat. that's the power of german engineering. get $0 down, $0 due at signing, $0 deposit, and $0 first month's payment on any new volkswagen. visit vwdealer.com today.

fiscal cliff hanger, a white house meeting as we head into the last weekend before the deadline. wanted in new york. take a look. police say the woman seen running away on the right had just pushed a man to his death in front of a moving subway train. baseball cap controversy. the braves now retro logo raising a few eyebrows this morning. welcome back to "early start." so glad you are with us on a friday morning. >> it is friday, isn't it? i'm drew griffin. john and zoraida are off. lawmaker has a long time to avoid the fiscal cliff. now only four days left and no deal in sight. that could change today, when president obama holds a meeting with all four congressional

leader at the white house. we're not saying you should bet on it. let's bring in ron brownstein for "the national journal." >> good morning. >> good morning. we're talking about this whole idea of a fiscal cliff was absolutely not supposed to happen. >> this was a machine that the two sides built to give guy them more will power to do what they didn't want to do to begin with. which is compromise. they could not reach a deal to destabilize the federal government's long-term finances so they built this to put more pressure on themselves to reach a deal now. and even this does not seem to be enough to do it, to force them to make the difficult concessions that are required for the two sides to come together this is indignant of a broader problem we face of a red coalition and blue coalition that reflect very different visions of american and show

less and less cooperation. we are looking at a dividing government for the next two years and more likely next four years. if they can't make an agreement on this, how will they make progress on anything else? >> divided government that is getting deeper red, deeper blue, right? and there doesn't seem to be any clear leader coming forward to bridge the gap. >> more polarized top to bottom. when you look at the coalitions of the national level, mitt romney won almost 90% of votes from whites, and president obama won over 40% from nonwhites. look at the states on issues like gay marriage or the obama health care plan. blue and red states leading you in very different directions. and you get to congress. the vast majority of leaders are

voted in by those who are divided. have you two cohessive coalitions. it's harder to bridge them what is the alternative? we're all here, none of us are going away. we'll find ways to work together or find more self-inflicted wounds like the fiscal cliff. >> the idea, republicans and this is the idea that has been floated, will let us go off the cliff sor they or certain members won't have to raise taxes. >> they will cut taxes retroactive retroactively. >> seems like a bad way to go. >> look, this was a machine built to encourage compromise. and it may get easier for some republicans to come back in january if we go over the cliff. the reason, of course, all the bush tax cuts expire with the

cliff, when you come back, you would only be voting to cut taxes on some force of the public, up to a certain income level. if you do it now, basically extend push tax cuts, are you effectively raising taxes on some people. might be easier for republicans, it takes us only a small step of the larger accommodation we need. we need some kind of long-term agreement to stabilize the federal government's finances and automatic spending cut side of this is a really blunt instrument. they have to come together if they are going to deal with this, and the problem as i say, all political incentives are toward polarization and refusing to bend. >> we had this group of six meting at the white house today. when you -- you are connected to these people. when you look at that group of people sitting around the table, do you see anybody who can control his or her party and make a deal happen? >> i think democrats by and large would follow the president. i think that is clear.

it is very unclear whether republican leaders can control their caucus, especially in the house. and i said for months, really since the election, really only two options here in terms of the fiscal cliff. either we go over the cliff, which now seems more likely. or john boehner has to brung a bill to the floor that will be supported primarily by democrats and opposed by a majority of house republicans. i don't think these two diagrams overlap. no bill that would get a majority of support for republicans that would be acceptable to the president. probably is a majority in the house for a deal. but it may not be with a majority of republicans and that is very difficult for the speaker to overcome. >> real quickly, would that be the end of the speakership for boehner? >> that is the big question. very rare for a speaker to bring a bill to the floor opposed by a majority of his party this big. we haven't seen it since the north american free trade agreement as best i can tell. that would be a risk.

some think you may want to do this after he's reeleblgted as speaker. >> thank you. we appreciate it. 36 minutes past the hour. commanders in chief, paying tribute to retired general gorgeous unanimous schwarzkopf. he died yesterday, 78 years old. schwarzko schwarzko schwarzko schwarzkopf, the face of the cable news war. former president george h.w. bush says he was a true patriot. new york city police are looking for a woman who pushed a woman off a subway platform into the path of an oncoming train. the victim was pushed on the tracks from behind, just as the train pulled into the 40th street station. he died after being struck by the number seven train. surveillance video wshows her

running away. >> surprise, surprise. north korea deceived the u.s. deliberately. catching them offguard before the launch of the long-range rocket earlier this month. the likely scenario is that north korea was lying about reported technical problems days before the launch. another conclusion? north korea knows how to counter u.s. intel on what it's up to. nbc received skon flikting guidance on usingan empty magazine. a spokesman for d.c. metro police said when they inquired ahead, they were advised it could not use that magnificent zone. the matter under investigation. "consumer reports" out with the list of best value cars for the 2013 model year. the toyota prius tops the list.

the magazine says the preos cost an estimated 49 cents per mile to own. less than half the estimated cost of the average car. coming up, the new threat after the powerful winter storm that's brought record-breaking snow and spun off dangerous tornadoes. ten deaths blamed on the storm. more than 2,400 flights have already been canceled. bonnie schneider in the extreme weather center with a look at the forecast. good morning. >> good morning. we are tracking freezing rain across tennessee and arkansas right now. this is the last thing the mid-south needs it wasn't too long ago, christmas day, we saw ten inches of snow in little rock. freezing rain on top of that is likely to compromise trees and power lines. temperatures are really cold in the region. look at the difference. west texas in lubbock. ahead of the system, 63 in houston right now. warming up. strong thunderstorms working their way across louisiana right now. you won't see freezing rain that

far south. you will see more snow from one exiting storm system. really been monumental to areas of northern maine and into canada. toronto at 21 degrees. 31 in new york city. the temperatures colder behind the system. believe it or not. a bran new one. this is just the beginning, today to tomorrow, notice the snow falling across ohio, pennsylvania, new jersey. one-two punch, getting the same sort of snow system, but with less snow this time. new york city, likely to see 1 to 3 inches. heavier snow through interior sections of pennsylvania. this is something you could have to shovel out. and we'll be monitoring it for you as we get to tomorrow. expect snow in weekend in the northeast. >> really appreciate that. >> i know you are just the messenger, bonnie. we love you anyway. a story that will warm you up, from canada, no less. nothing to do with the weather.

228 customers at a winnipeg coffee shop paid for the person behind them. >> you could hear the shout from drive thousand. a hear him scream out, 147. getting everybody pumped up. >> now it's such a habit. started here and i think people just come back to this one, knowing that it's either going to be your day, that you will start it, and it will come back, it's a huge cycle. >> a lot of fun up there. that cycle of generosity lasted three hours. no one knows who started that chain or who ended it. >> looking at the guy who ended it right there. >> i'll buy you that cup of coffee. good-bye, godzilla, the intercontinental includinger, sid eke matsui will retire from baseball. he came to the united states way

back in 2003. hit a grand slam in his very first game, and was 2009 world series mvp. already the biggest star on japan's biggest team when he left tokyo. this is a blast from baseball's past, but doesn't have any place in today's pc society? more on the baseball logo causing controversy this morning. plus, parents and young orphans caught in the middle of an international dispute between the u.s. and russia the new development overnight on adoptions is just ahead. a hybrid? most are just no fun to drive. now, here's one that will make you feel alive. meet the five-passenger ford c-max hybrid. c-max says ha. c-max says wheeee. which is what you get, don't you see? cause c-max has lots more horsepower than prius v, a hybrid that c-max also bests in mpg. say hi to the all-new 47 combined mpg c-max hybrid.

good news, ali veshi is in. >> never good news when i spend too much time on tv. it means a financial calamity is coming. that's not why i'm here today. a high-level meeting at the white house. we are talking to debbie stabenow and olympia snowe. and ken rogoff, one of the world's foremost experts on financial crises. a crime reverberated across

this country. a woman jogging in central park, brutally assaulted and left for dead. central park five arrested and after years in prison, all exonerated. a new documentary. we'll talk to the director along one of the members of the central park five. and find a dog, and he'll write you to his new novel. dennis lehane pleading for your help to help find tessa. we'll talk to him live, that on "starting point" kicking off at the top of the hour. i'll try and keep the fiscal cliff talk to a minimum. >> talking to tessa the dog? that's incredible. >> talking to someone about tessa the dog. >> we have to find her. >> thank you, ali, so much. and critics say that the atlanta braves are bringing back a savage logo. and we got the first look at the

hats. the native american groups consider the caricature really offensive. the great hank aaron had it on his shoulder during most of his playing days. george h.w. bush is fighting off a fever in a houston hospital, but he's not planning on going anywhere the former president has every intention of staying put and put the harps back in the closet. at 88 years old, is he the oldest living former president. america's 41st president should be out of the icu soon. we hope some of. not clear who will remiss lisa jackson as head of the environmental protection agency. she announced she will step down in january after the president's state of the union address. the epa created new standards for air pollution from coal powered plants on her watch.

hosni mubarak has been transferred to the hospital for some fractured ribs. he slipped in a prison hospital bathroom earlier this month. the 80-year-old mubarak ruled egypt for three decades. is he serving a life sentence for his role in the death of protesters during last year's uprising. secretary clinton will be back at work next week, after spending three weeks at home brought on by the flu and a fainting spell. she may soon testify before congress on that attack in benghazi. a story that got a lot of wows in the studio. "the l.a. times" says that the gun buyback program broke records. the big fish?

a rocket launcher. two rocket launchers among more than 200 firearms pulled in. 22 pistols were taken from the trunk of one car. it got the driver $1,000 in fwroshry gift cards. a case of man's best friend returning the favor. he fell through the ice in lake erie. his owner's kous you know put on waders and tried to save him. he fell through the ice too. but he couldn't leave bart's side. >> i was talking to him, trying to keep him warm, rub him, and try to get some blood flowing through hid body. and i looked, what it was my dog? i would hope somebody would try to do something. >> imagine this. they spent 90 minutes in the frigid water before rescuers arrived. bart was cold, but otherwise okay. heartache spans two continents as russia's president

signs that bill will keep american parents from adopting russian children in need of a family. dozens of current adoptions stopped in their tracks. a live report, coming up.

eight minutes before the top of the hour. relations between the u.s. and russia growing more tense. vladmir putin has just banned american citizens from adopting russian children this is seen as retaliation for a new u.s. law seeking to punish russian human rights violators. our matthew chance joining us live from london. good morning, you lived in moscow a very long time. this i understand was not only stop future adoptions, but those already in progress. these families during the process get so attached to these children, what is the reaction been? >> yeah, alina, it's really a big tragedy for those families, those parents that hoped and have spent i expect many months going through the various legal loopholes in russia, trying to adopt children there. who have met these children.

a big blow for them. that will stop them in their tracks. don't forget the children themselves. the kremlin issued a statement saying they believe 52 russian children set to be adopted to american families, currently, processed and all of those 52 adoptions will end. and it's very unfortunate. a lot of these children have got to know as part of the process the parents that they may have been going to live with and be adopted by that will now change. and they want those 52 children to be adopted by russian families. very difficult, though. russian billionaire is offering $50,000 to each of the families in russia that adopt these russian children to try and ease the pain a little bit. >> remind us. because as i said this was retaliation for something else. why is this happening now? >> yes, it's very unfortunate. the children have become such a

political pawn in this dispute between russia and the united states. but the act was put into force retaliation for a law that was signed by president obama earlier this year, called the u.s. magniski act, which aims to push russian human rights abusers, particularly those who were associated in the death in 2009 of a russian tax lawyer who uncovered a very large tax fraud in russia that was himself arrested then and died while in custody. this is meant to punish those people, to stop them from traveling to the u.s. and freeze their accounts and caused outrage in official circles in russia and searching for several months to try and find an appropriate response. this is what they came up with. >> matthew chance, live in london, thank you very much. up next, best advice from

the grichb w the grinch who stole christmas. and firearms training. ali velshi speaks to a teacher taking the course right now. ♪

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best advice. >> today we hear from the notorious holiday character, the grinch who stole christmas. >> the best advice i have ever received. and i received quite a bit. i would say to cherish your family. keep them close to you, and don't sweat the small stuff. and also not to take yourself too seriously. merry christmas. >> he's good that grinch. that's "early start" for friday morning. have a great weekend, everybody. >> "starting point" with ali velshi starts right now. . >> and good morning to you. i'm ali velshi, "starting point" starts